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Bill

S 8505

Prohibits line-item appropriations for organizations engaged in political activities

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Rob Ortt

Bans line-item appropriations to organizations that engage in political activities, removing earmarks from state budgets for politically active groups.

REFERRED TO RULES
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Bill Summary · S 8505

Summary of Bill S 8505

Title: Prohibits line-item appropriations for organizations engaged in political activities

Status: Referred to Rules (introduced September 12, 2025)

Introduced by: Robert Ortt (primary sponsor)

Legislative Actions:
- 2025-09-12: REFERRED TO RULES
- 2025-09-12: REFERRED TO RULES

Purpose and intent

  • The bill aims to reform how funds are allocated in the budget by prohibiting line-item appropriations to organizations that engage in political activities. In other words, it would restrict or bar earmarked (line-item) funding to entities that participate in political advocacy or related activities.

Key provisions (as stated in available information)

  • The only explicitly stated provision in the provided summary is the prohibition itself: no line-item appropriations may be made to organizations that engage in political activities.
  • Specific definitions, scope, exemptions, enforcement mechanisms, penalties, and effective dates are not included in the information provided and would be found in the bill’s full text.

Who and what would be affected

  • Potentially affected entities: Organizations that receive state funds through line-item appropriations and that engage in political activities (as defined by the bill).
  • Government budgeting processes: State agencies and the budgeting process that currently allows or includes line-item earmarks could be altered, since earmarks to such organizations would be prohibited.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Status: Early in the legislative process, with the bill referred to the Rules Committee.
  • No committee hearings, amendments, or votes are listed in the information provided.
  • Given its status, the bill would likely undergo further committee review, potential amendments, and floor action before any passage.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Fiscal and budgetary impact: If enacted, earmarks to organizations engaging in political activities would be removed, potentially reducing the scope of targeted funding by the state.
  • Policy alignment: The bill aligns budgeting practices with notions of keeping government funds separate from political activity by eliminating earmarks to politically active groups.
  • Implementation considerations: The effectiveness of the prohibition will depend on how the bill defines “line-item appropriations” and “organizations engaged in political activities,” as well as any exemptions (if provided) and how funds are tracked and enforced.

Next steps for readers

  • Review the full bill text for precise definitions, scope, exemptions, enforcement provisions, and effective date.
  • Monitor committee actions and fiscal impact statements to understand potential costs and administrative implications.
  • Consider potential impacts on organizations that may receive earmarked funds for programmatic work but also engage in advocacy activities.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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